Can I stay overnight in Foz do Iguazu w/o Brazilian visa?

[miro]

Hi everybody,

Has anyone who's traveled to Iguazu Falls without the Brazilian visa stayed overnight in Foz do Iguazu on the Brazilian side or know anyone who has? I know it's sometimes possible to visit the Brazilian side of the falls for the day without the expensive visa (if you're lucky). But crossing over for a few hours and staying the night are two different things. Or are they?

Also, does anyone have any recent experience with getting the Brazilian visa in Buenos Aires? I've heard you need to show your paid itinerary to/from Brazil but my flight is to/from the Argentine side...has anyone dealt with this problem?

Gracias & Besos

 

[angieinba]

hi,
you must have a visa to enter brazil. you will literally have to turn around if you don't have one. i went to rio in may and here's what i had to do:
go to the brazilian consulate. from what i remember its somewhere on carlos pellegrini. you fill out a few forms, wait in line, pay US$165 then wait about a week or so. MAKE SURE you bring - passport, current bank statement with 3 months balance and your travel info: plane ticket & hotel info. if you are missing even one of these items they will tell you to come back when you have everything. good luck!

 

[elhombresinnombre]

This may be a dumb question, Miro, but what nationality are you? Most Europeans and many other nationals can enter Brazil as a tourist without a visa and without paying any fees.

 

[angieinba]

This may be a dumb question, Miro, but what nationality are you? Most Europeans and many other nationals can enter Brazil as a tourist without a visa and without payinjg any fees.

yes! this is true. i am assuming you are american. which you will need to go through the process above. but yes, if you are from any other country i believe you don't even need a visa! thank you el hombre!

 

[miro]

Hi,

Thanks for your replies! Yes, I'm American, sorry I forgot to add that major detail to my question.

Many people on travel forums claim they've managed to cross the border easily without the visa as long as they didn't venture farther in Brazil than Foz.

Ideally, I'd like to get the visa but here's my problem:

My understanding, as you mentioned, angieinba, is that I need to show my paid itinerary to/from Brazil at the Embassy when I'm applying for the Tourist Visa.

My problem is that I don't have such documentation because I'm flying into and out of Iguazu on the Argentine side. Do you see what I mean? I only wish to visit the Brazilian side for the day to see that side of the falls. Although if I'm granted the Visa then there's a big possibility that I'd like to stay the 3 nights in Foz.

But I dont want to put my money down to stay in Foz until I know that I have the Visa. But how can I get the Visa if I don't have any proof that I'm going to Brazil?

I was hoping to hear that it's a simple matter where they'll grant me the Visa because they'll see that I'm going to Iguazu where lots of people want to cross the border just for a day or two to see the falls. It's clear that I have a prepaid return ticket to BA but somehow I'm afraid that might not be sufficient.

Surely someone else has gone through this issue before me. I was hoping to catch a quick answer but I guess I'll pose the question directly to the Embassy.

Anyway, thanks again for commenting...

 

[angieinba]

miro,
maybe the info that you have might be enough.
i say go to the brazilian offices with what you have (and everything else required, just in case) and ask them. that way if you do need the visa you can just go ahead and get it while you are there, and if you don't need it then at least you know before you go on your trip and potentially end up disappointed at the border of brazil.
i think the offices close early during the week, 2 or 3pm.
good luck!

 

[EliA]

I am also visiting Igauzú and though I don't plan on staying overnight in Brasil, I have heard that to cross into Brasil at this particular point often does not need a visa for us norteamericanos - it isn't like going to Rio or Sao Paulo. From what I've heard from others, you can often just tell a taxi driver that you don't have the visa and they know where and how to take you. This sounds a bit sketchy but worth the try - the worst is they send you back!

Does anyone know anything about crossing specifically at Iguazú, and not Brasil in general?

 

[Napoleon]

hi,
you must have a visa to enter brazil. you will literally have to turn around if you don't have one.

Actually, you don't have to do jack shit to go to Brazil. All you have to do is take a us or cab to the border and then go in and tell them you are going to "DUTY FREE".

Then you come back out and wait for the bus to Brazil. Take it across for AR$2 and you are there. Really easy. ~US$0.65 and you don't have a problem.

 

[DA]

exactely where are you talking about Napoleon?

 

[Gaby]

Miro, Im Argentinean with an American 5 years old boy. Last year we visited Iguazu and even though we tried our bests to cross into Brasil just to make to half day visit to the Brasilian side of the falls, were not lucky. I also heard that if you are lucky maybe you can do it, but even being my husband and me from Argentina we had not luck at all.
Call the Brasilian consulate here in BA to find out if you need a paid itinerary from/to Brasil in order to apply for the Tourist Visa. Ill bet its not a problem whether you are flying into/ out of Iguazu not Foz. Another thing you can do, is buy at least the visit to the Iguazu Falls (Brasilian side) in advance and take the voucher with you when applying for the tourist visa.